Once Upon a Time in Bangkok

A look back at a time when rickshaws and Buddhist temples dominated the city.

BY STEVE VAN BEEK | MAY 22, 2012

Cars were introduced to Bangkok around 1904. By 1908, some 300 were running about the city. Here, an auto rally is in progress down the royal boulevard past Sanam Luang, the royal cremation ground. Barely visible in the distance is Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Curator: Steve Van Beek

 

Steve Van Beek is an author based in Thailand. His most recent book is Bangkok: Then and Now.